KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 2 SHLOKA 2

                                                         श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतः

                                                    तौसम्परीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः ।

                                                   श्रेयोहि धीरोऽभि प्रेयसोवृणीते

                                                  प्रेयोमन्दोयोगक्षेमाद्वृणीते ॥ २

                                   SHREYACHYA PREYACHYA MANUSHYM ETAH

                                        STAU SAMPARITYA VIVINAKTI DHIRAH |

                                          SHREYOHI DHIROPREYASO VRUNITE

                                     PREYO MANDO YOGAKSHEMAT VRUNITE ||2

GOOD AND PLEASANT ARE THE CHOICES FOR THE MAN. THE INTELLIGENT MAN

AFTER EXAMINING  AND DISTINGUISHING THEM CHOOSES THE GOOD , THE

        IGNORANT MAN CHOOSES PLEASURE FOR THE SAKE OF THE BODY||2

This is one of the Shlokas which is stressing the same principle. It may feel that we are repeating the same thing over and over again. But the reason is that the student of this scriptures must know the difference. There are 2 choices for everyone at every step of the life. All of us can tell an examples of theses situations where one has to select what is good. The examination is approaching and we have a choice of going for a party or study . The part gives sens pleasures  and studying is not pleasant for sense organs where one has to wake up early and do the study.It may be a diet control of not eating surgery, sweet or fried food and eat Satwik food , so that the health is better . But the bland vegetables may not give sense pleasure as the ice cream or fried pakodas do . The same can be said about waking up in the morning and doing meditation or sleeping late till 8 am
   The problem with all these situations is that most of us KNOW what is better but tend to select what is better for senses rather than what is GOOD. This is a constant fight between the physical body and the mind  and the intellect.Some one compared this to the strong big elephant  and the little Mahut  one who is suppose to control the Elephant. The elephant is strong and can go any place it wants  and the Mahut can not control it . The Mahut can control the elephant with training of the elephant  and not by strength.The physical body is like elephant and it has to be trained . We with out inelegance decide that we will wake up at 4 am and do meditation . But the body like elephant may not cooperate  and the mind or intellect can not do anything unless the mind is trained .
    So we are told that man must select what is GOOD  and not what is PLEASANT to body on short run as the pleasure is short lived and mortal while the good is everlasting and immortal.

KATHOPNISHADA CHAPTER 2 SHLOKA 1

                                                अन्यच्छ्रेयोऽन्यदुतैव प्रेयस्ते

                                                  उभे नानार्थे पुरुषँसिनीतः ।

                                              तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधु भवति

                                              हीयतेऽर्थाद्य उ प्रेयोवृणीते ॥ १॥

                                 ANYAT SREYO NYAD UTA EVA PREYASTE

                                 UBHE NANARTHE PURUSHAM SINITAH |

                         TAYOH SHREY ADADANASHYA SADHU BHAVATI

                              HIYATE ARTHATYAH  U PREYO VRUNITE  ||1

YAMA SAID , ONE IS GOOD OTHER IS PLEASANT. THESE TWO HAVE DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES  AND CHAIN MAN. ONE WHO SELECTS GOOD ALONE IS BLESSED ,BUT ONE WHO SELECTS PLEASANT ,LOSES FROM TRUE END |1

    The shloka is the starting of the teaching of the things that we face in life  and how we get trapped . In life we make decisions all the time . When we select things when we buy groceries or cook or eat . Did we buy things that are healthy and tasty or only tasty . Did we eat too much  and did we indulge . We know what is good  and what give pleasure but is not good . Certain actions will lead to attachments  and increase desires to have bodily pleasures . They appear to be more attractive but lead to attachments or chains . This is very easy to understand - the circle of mind - we do an action and that action leads to impression and that impression leads to desire  and that leads to an action again and this circle continues  and theses desires will lead to reincarnation. This si simple to understand .But how come what is good will also chain us ? The answer is not in the good or bad part ,but in WHY WE DID DO GOOD ACTION? Giving donation for good cause is good but if we did it with desire to be mentioned in the fund raiser or desire to have a plaque put on the wall then that Good action also will lead to attachment and that will bring us back for another life . So the intention with which we do the Good action is the cause of bondage or chains .
 

KATHOPNISHAD ADHYAK 1 CHAPTER 1 ,SHLOKA- 29

                                                 यस्मिन्निदं विचिकित्सन्ति मृत्यो

                                                यत्साम्परायेमहति ब्रूहि नस्तत् ।

                                                    योऽयं वरोगूढमनुप्रविष्टो
               
                                                 नान्यं तस्मान्नचिकेता वृणीते॥ २९

                             YASMIN IDAM VICHIKITSANTI MRYUTYO

                            YAT SAMPARAYE MAHATI BRUHI NASTAT|

                             O"YAM VARO GUDHAM ANUPRAVISHTO

                        NA ANYAM TASMAN NACHIKETA VRUNITE ||29

                    O DEATH -YAMA TELL ME IN WHICH MEN HAVE DOUBT AND

                  WHICH IS ABOUT GREAT PASSING -DEATH-WHICH IS MYSTERIOUS

                            ,NACHIKETA WANTS THAT BOON NOTHING ELSE  ||29

This is the last of the first chapter.So after the exchange between Yama  and Nachiket, Nachiket is telling that he wants only one boon and nothing else. This almost like when we bargain in stores or buying car, The sells man offers the price  and we offer different and he comes with different offer  and then after some exchange we give ultimatum. We offer so called Final price  and if not accepted , walk out. This is similar to that.
    Yam has offered different things to Nachiket instead of the Knowledge about Life after death. and now Nachiket is telling that he does not want anything else but the one that he asked for. The life after death is a topic of discussion in every religion. Many religion believe that we will see GOD after death only . Many have no idea of reincarnation. Many have ideas of ghosts  and heaven  and hell  and Saitan. So in short what happens after death is mysterious  and so all of us want to know  and who is better to tell us than the God of Death - YAMA.